Field NotesOhio
Upper Falls in the Old Man's Cave gorge, Hocking Hills, with visitors on the rocks

An independent field guide · 365 places

The field guide to outdoor Ohio

Parks and forests, ancient mounds, caves, waterfalls and back roads, with the story behind each place and where to eat and fuel up nearby.
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  • 117parks & forests
  • 64ancient mounds
  • 34waterfalls
  • 40historic sites
  • 33road trips

Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills · Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0

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State parks & forests117 places, with cabins, campsites and trails117 places Waterfalls34 falls, with trail notes34 falls Mounds & earthworks64 ancient sites, from Serpent Mound to Newark64 ancient sites Caves & caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters12 caves Lake Erie beaches20 public beaches, Conneaut to Toledo20 beaches Historic sites40 places, from the frontier to the Civil War40 places Road trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail33 drives Oddities19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops19 roadside stops The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile loop, all 26 sections1,444 miles

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Six places to start

One from every corner of the state, each with its full story inside.

01Old Man's CaveHocking Hills · SoutheastA gorge of waterfalls and recess caves where a hermit is said to have lived, with the park's visitor center. 02Great Serpent MoundAdams County · SouthwestA gigantic earthen snake on a hilltop over Ohio Brush Creek, built by a people whose name is still argued over. 03Brandywine FallsCuyahoga Valley · NortheastThe tallest waterfall in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, reached by an easy boardwalk with an accessible upper overlook. 04Marblehead LighthouseMarblehead · Lake ErieThe oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes, lit since 1821, on nine acres of limestone shoreline. 05Zoar VillageTuscarawas County · EasternA well-preserved communal village founded by German separatists in 1817, on the Ohio & Erie Canal. 06Longaberger Basket BuildingNewark · CentralA seven-story office building shaped like a picnic basket, with handles that are heated in winter.

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Parks, forests & wildlife areas

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117 parks in 7 regions

Lanterman's Falls

Youngstown · Mahoning County
Ledge falls over sandstone next to a working 19th century grist mill
20 ftheight
Easywalk
Directions →Official source →

A 20 foot waterfall beside the historic, still operating Lanterman's Mill in Mill Creek Park, one of Youngstown's best known landmarks.

Height
About 20 feet
Trail
Viewable from Canfield Road bridge or mill level
Managed by
Mill Creek MetroParks
Best time
After rain and in spring; reliable most of the year
Fee
Free to view; mill tour is a small fee
Mill hours
May through October, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

When it flows

Regulated somewhat by the millpond above the falls, so it generally has reliable flow, but it is most dramatic after rain and in spring; it forms striking ice formations in winter.

The story

Mill Creek cuts through sandstone in this stretch of the gorge, and the falls formed where the creek drops over a resistant ledge, the same water power source that made this spot attractive to millers for more than two centuries. The surrounding gorge, with its exposed sandstone walls, has long been considered one of the scenic centerpieces of Mill Creek Park.

Mills operated at this site from 1799, with earlier structures replaced over time until German Lanterman and Samuel Kimberly built the current mill in 1845 and 1846 to grind corn, wheat, and buckwheat using the falls' power. The mill closed in 1888 and was used for various park purposes afterward, falling into disrepair before a full restoration between 1982 and 1985, funded by the Beecher Foundations, returned it to working order; it still grinds grain today using the original water power. The mill and falls sit within Mill Creek Park, one of the oldest and largest municipal park systems in Ohio, established through the advocacy of Youngstown lawyer Volney Rogers in the 1890s.

Coordinates are approximate, geocoded from the mill's street address rather than a surveyed point for the falls itself. Mill Creek MetroParks is not one of the park ids in the allowed list.

Stay behind railings and on marked trails. Wet rock at the top and base of a falls is slick in every season, and most Ohio falls do not allow swimming, wading or climbing. Flow depends on rain: many falls are a trickle in late summer and at their best after a wet spell, in spring, or frozen in a hard winter.

Visiting information you can trust

Check before driving — this site is seasonal, approximate, privately run, or otherwise uncertain. Confirm hours and access with the official source above.
Content last reviewed
September 2026 — this is when Field Notes Ohio's content was last checked, not a live status.
Primary official source
Official page
Location confidence
Approximate — boundary or exact point not confirmed
Approximate location, use the address or trailhead
Seasonal access
Park open daily; mill open May through October, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures

Prices, hours, closures, campsite availability and trail conditions shown elsewhere on this page are not live — always confirm with the official source before you go.

Getting to the falls

Viewable from the Canfield Road bridge or from a short walk down to the mill and creek level; the paved, boardwalk-backed East Gorge Walk also follows Mill Creek along a sandstone wall nearby.

Status
Open
Hours
Park open daily; mill open May through October, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost
Free to view the falls; mill admission up to $4 for non-resident adults
Phone
330-740-7115
Managed by
Mill Creek MetroParks
Please note
Use caution on the Canfield Road bridge due to traffic, stay behind railings near the gorge, no swimming
Address
1001 Canfield Road (SR 62), Youngstown, OH 44511 (Lanterman's Mill, Mill Creek Park)
Official page →DirectionsShow on the map

The pin on the map is approximate; use the address or the park's own directions to find the trailhead.

Trails close for repairs, ice and high water. Check the official page before a long drive.

Parks nearby

Lake Milton State Park
About 15 miles · Mahoning County state park
Open
Berlin Lake
About 17 miles · Nearest park in the app
Open
Guilford Lake State Park
About 21 miles · Nearest park in the app
Open

Details last checked 2026-09-22. Confirm hours and prices before you go.

Know a place that belongs here, or spotted something out of date? Email hello@fieldnotesohio.com.